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Arizona Rock HO ballast coverage question

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  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: SE Minnesota
  • 6,847 posts
Posted by jrbernier on Friday, January 29, 2010 3:38 PM

  At the club, we find that the NP grey gets very dark when it is 'wetted' - but gets lighter again after the matte medium dries.  However, the GN ballast get very dark when wetted, and sort of stays that way after it dries - go figure!  I have been getting about 25' of track done at home with a single bag.  I am covering the sides of the 1/4" Homabed as well.  I have 5 bags of ballast and have used up at least 3 of them so far.  I have one more town to ballast(about 20' of main line.  I suspect I will have at least one bag of main line ballast left.  My yard/sidings are being ballasted with the 'Yard Mix' - and it is going fast.  I bought 7 bags and have used about 4 already.  The yard took 2 bags, and the engine terminal is eating up 'Yard Mix' at a fast clip  I hope to finish up the engine terminal this week-end.  Oh yeah, I have gone through about 6 bottles of 'Scenic Cement' or matte medium so far.  Of course I will be at the La Crosse Train Sale Saturday, so who knows what projects will be done Saturday evening!

Jim

Modeling BNSF  and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin

  • Member since
    August 2008
  • 1 posts
Posted by gcrrman on Friday, January 29, 2010 1:31 PM

Jim,

 I am using the Arizona stone NP grey also - the usual application - wetting with alcohol/water then gluing 50/50 water/ white glue.  It dries a very dark charcoal color.  I expected a much lighter grey.  Has that been your experience?  Any tips, anyone, for achieving a lighter color?

 Gary

  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Texas
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Posted by C&O Fan on Sunday, December 20, 2009 2:11 PM

I used it on my layout and think it's the best product on the market

I got about 12 ft of code100 per bag

Some of the guys i know use a layer of sand first then top it with AZ

to save money

TerryinTexas

See my Web Site Here

http://conewriversubdivision.yolasite.com/

 

 

  • Member since
    June 2007
  • From: Mankato MN
  • 1,358 posts
Posted by secondhandmodeler on Sunday, December 20, 2009 9:06 AM

Driline, now you have me thinking that ten is too much!Smile  Oh well, I have to wait until after Christmas to order it anyway.  Better too much than too little.  I suppose I could go out to the DM&E track behind my townhouse and make my own from former CNW track.Smile

Corey
  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bettendorf Iowa
  • 2,173 posts
Posted by Driline on Sunday, December 20, 2009 8:38 AM

secondhandmodeler

Jim, thank you for the quick reply.  There isn't a great deal of track on my layout, 14x10 single mainline.   I'm thinking I will buy ten bags and go from there.  I know the operation is for sale, so I don't want to run out after I get started.  Now that I type that, maybe I should buy more!Big Smile

 

I bought the same stuff you are buying, since that color is prevalent here in Eastern Iowa. I used 2 bags medium course for a 7X11 layout. I could have used 3. 10 should be plenty.

Modeling the Davenport Rock Island & Northwestern 1995 in HO
  • Member since
    September 2008
  • From: Seattle, Washington
  • 1,082 posts
Posted by IVRW on Sunday, December 20, 2009 8:22 AM
Buy a whole bunch, and sell what you dont use for a little bit more than the price you bought them at. Or, you could put them in box and save the rest for layout MACH II.

~G4

19 Years old, modeling the Cowlitz, Chehalis, and Cascade Railroad of Western Washington in 1927 in 6X6 feet.

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: Sunny SoCal
  • 423 posts
Posted by Margaritaman on Friday, December 11, 2009 10:33 PM

I made my own and had two 5 gallon buckets of the stuff.  My is more of a fine dirt (1920's era). 

I can't answer your question, although those bags don't seem too large to me.  I'm of the "buy more than I need" club.  

  • Member since
    June 2007
  • From: Mankato MN
  • 1,358 posts
Posted by secondhandmodeler on Friday, December 11, 2009 10:06 PM

Margaritaman

You'd be doing yourself a favor by calling him and seeing how much he has and how popular it is.  He does run out of items on occasion and only comes back in stock when he travels to a particular location.

He's a very nice gentleman.  In fact he told me how to make my own since I had already located the dirt I wanted.

  Thanks for the heads up.  What has your experience been with how far one 12 oz. bag goes?
Corey
  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: Sunny SoCal
  • 423 posts
Posted by Margaritaman on Friday, December 11, 2009 10:02 PM

secondhandmodeler
I don't want to be S.O.L.  

You'd be doing yourself a favor by calling him and seeing how much he has and how popular it is.  He does run out of items on occasion and only comes back in stock when he travels to a particular location.

He's a very nice genleman.  In fact he told me how to make my own since I had already located the dirt I wanted.

  • Member since
    June 2007
  • From: Mankato MN
  • 1,358 posts
Posted by secondhandmodeler on Friday, December 11, 2009 9:55 PM

ford86, I don't want to be S.O.L.  if they end up closing up shop.  'Pink Lady' ballast isn't something easily found.  I also don't want to have four times too much!Smile

Corey
  • Member since
    June 2007
  • From: Mankato MN
  • 1,358 posts
Posted by secondhandmodeler on Friday, December 11, 2009 9:49 PM

Jim, thank you for the quick reply.  There isn't a great deal of track on my layout, 14x10 single mainline.   I'm thinking I will buy ten bags and go from there.  I know the operation is for sale, so I don't want to run out after I get started.  Now that I type that, maybe I should buy more!Big Smile

Corey
  • Member since
    July 2004
  • 133 posts
Posted by ford86 on Friday, December 11, 2009 9:49 PM

On average a fine to medium size ballast shaker container of ballast should cover about 18-24 ft (maybe more) of single track mainline in ho scale, I can put about 4-5 12oz bags into a shaker.  Be sure to find one of those dust busters hand held vacuums so that you can reuse the ballast that is left over.

I ended up filling about 14 shaker bottles of rock ballast because I didnt want to be sol if a color was discontinued.....

  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: SE Minnesota
  • 6,847 posts
Posted by jrbernier on Friday, December 11, 2009 9:39 PM

Corey,

  We have been ballasting the club(and I have ordered over $300 of it so far).  A rough guess is about 30' of track with a single bag(code 100 Atlas flex).  We have been using the NP grey(1302, fine).  I suspect you may cover more with the 'mainline' ballast.  The 'Pink Lady' ballast does look real good.

Jim

Modeling BNSF  and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin

  • Member since
    June 2007
  • From: Mankato MN
  • 1,358 posts
Arizona Rock HO ballast coverage question
Posted by secondhandmodeler on Friday, December 11, 2009 9:23 PM

As some of you know, I am attempting to model the CNW in Mankato MN. The ballast used by the CNW and Omaha Road is pink in color and hard to duplicate. Anyone from around here would immediately recognize the color of the correct ballast. I have found that Arizona Rock and Mineral has the color that I'm looking for. The ballast is sold in 12 oz. bags for $4.30 with a minimum order of six. The shipping is a flat thirteen dollars and will hold twenty four bags. I'm hoping to guess how much I'm going to need for my layout. Does anyone have any experience with coverage rates for this product? How many feet of track could a person expect to cover? I'm planning on using their HO fine scale size. I don't need exact amounts, just a ball park figure of how far a bag of this stuff will go. Any and all help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Corey

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